By CCL Reporters Sean Brennan, Sam Nute, and Dylan Wickman
July 31, 2023 // Updated as of 12 a.m.
2023 CCL 30 POSTSEASON
Today, the 2023 California Collegiate League regular season will come to an end, and the landscape of the CCL 30 Postseason – the capstone of the league’s 30th year – will be solidified. A new format will be introduced for this summer’s playoffs, replacing the double-elimination, round-robin layout used for the past two seasons, as five squads will vie to dethrone the two-time defending champion Healdsburg Prune Packers.
The top three seeds based on league record in both the CCL North and South Divisions qualify for the tournament and a chance to reach the CCL 30 State Championship, a best two-out-of-three series taking place from Friday to Sunday, August 4-6. A coin flip at an offseason league meeting determined that the CCL South Division will host the State Championship this year, with the site rotating back and forth between divisions in subsequent years.
Each division’s second and third-ranked teams will kick off the postseason facing off in the single-elimination CCL Wild Card Round on Tuesday, August 1. The winner of the two Wild Card games will then take on their respective division’s first-place team on Wednesday, August 2 for a chance at the CCL crown.
Sitting at 26-9, the Healdsburg Prune Packers are the current host for the No. 1 seed in the North Division and have clinched a postseason berth. After temporarily ceding first place to the Crawdads, Healdsburg took control of the division’s top spot on July 28 and clinched the No. 1 seed with a Crawdads loss on Jul. 31.
However, the aforementioned Walnut Creek Crawdads (25-9) enter the postseason on the heels of an exceptional regular season that saw them challenge the Pack for the North Division’s No. 1 spot until the very end. Walnut Creek’s quest for the CCL 30 State Championship begins when it hosts the CCL 30 Wild Card Round on August 1.
The Crawdads’ opponent in the Wild Card Round is the Lincoln Potters, who clinched the third and final playoff spot in the North Division with a win on July 28. With a league record of 20-15, the Potters have had an up-and-down time in 2023, but have gone 8-3 in their last 12 contests – a stretch that includes series victories over Healdsburg and Walnut Creek.
Rounding out the North are the Sonoma Stompers and Solano Mudcats, who have both been officially eliminated.
Despite remaining unclear until the last minute, the CCL South Division playoff picture is finally solidified. The second-ranked Arroyo Seco Saints have claimed the South’s No. 1 spot with a 21-14 mark, as the division-winning Santa Barbara Foresters (23-10) have elected to compete in NBC World Series, a tournament they have won 10 times. Locked into the No. 2 slot is the Orange County Riptide, who will host the CCL 30 Wild Card Round.
With a win over the MLB Youth Academy Barons on Jul. 30 – the last day of the regular season – the Conejo Oaks (16-19) have clinched the third and final CCL 30 Postseason berth in the South. As a result, the San Luis Obispo Blues (15-20) have been officially eliminated.
Rounding out the division are the Barons, who are 8-26 in league play and have won four of their last five games. As of July 26, the Academy is officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Follow all the action as the quest for the CCL 30 State Championship heats up.
(LOS ANGELES, CA) – The California Collegiate League Showcase Game Selection Committee has announced the participants for the CCL 30 Showcase Game. The following players will play in the league’s signature midsummer event:
Click to view the CCL 30 Showcase Game Rosters
[+ North Division Roster] // [+ South Division Roster]
By July 5, each of the CCL’s 11 teams nominated players for consideration to the Selection Committee. Final North and South Division rosters and the managers of the game were chosen based on each of the division’s highest winningest percentage through July 8.
The CCL hosts an annual all-star game highlighting its brightest stars to coaches, scouts, and fans alike. This tradition remains today, as nearly 60 of the CCL’s most outstanding players will participate in the mid-summer classic in Compton, Calif. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. PST live on eight Bally Sports regional networks.
In addition to a nine-inning North vs. South Division contest and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline combine, the CCL 30 Showcase Game will feature an inaugural Home Run Derby presented by the Walter Bat Company adding even more fireworks to an already action-packed event.
Texas Tech play-by-play broadcaster Chris Sylvester and San Diego Padres color commentator Bob Scanlan will have the call. Check your local listings for viewing instructions.
Fans can purchase tickets to the CCL’s premier event at the gate, watch live on Bally Sports TV, or follow the CCL on social media.
Team Designations // MLB – MLB Academy Barons, AS – Arroyo Seco Saints, CO – Conejo Oaks, HPP – Healdsburg Prune Packers, LP – Lincoln Potters, OCR – Orange County Riptide, SLO – San Luis Obispo Blues, SBF – Santa Barbara Foresters, SM – Solano Mudcats, SS – Sonoma Stompers, WCC – Walnut Creek Crawdads